Yieldable shipping mount for missiles and the like



Feb- 23, 1954 R. P. APPLEGATE 2,670,166

YIELDABLE SHIPPING MOUNT FOR MISSILES AD THE LIKE Filed June 2l, 1952 ATITORNIZ Patented VFeb. 23, 1954 T OFFICE YIELDABLE SHIPPING MOUNT FOR `MISSILES AND THE LIKE Raymond P. Applegate, Hicksvlle-N. Y., assigner of onehalf to Charles P. Molla, New Hyde Park,

Applicationiune 21, 1952, semina. 294,955

12 Claims. (Cl. 248-119)` This invention relates to mounts for vuse in shipping and/or handling missiles, engines; and other articles or apparatus in which care is required to prevent subjecting they apparatus to undue vibration in the handling and shipment thereof. More particularly, the` invention comprises a mount comprising inner and outer ring sections detachably and hingedly coupled to fa-` cilitate placement of missile or other Vapparatus in the mount and removal of the same therefrom. Still ,more particularly, the invention deals with a mount of the character described having detachable meansffor conveying `the mount over a supporting surface, said means beingsupportable in an inoperative or a non-use position inthe crating and shipment of the mount.

The novel features of theinvention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separateparts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and in which:

Fig. l isI an end view of a mountmade according to my invention, diagrammatically illustrating parts of the mount.

Fig. 2 is a. plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with part of the construction'brokenl away and in section. i

'-Fig. 3 is a partial section on the li'ne 3"-3 of Fig. 2. n

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the coupling between the rings employed, as well as the mounting of springs onthe rings; and

' Fig. 5 shows the pivotal coupling between the rings and part of another spring mounting.

In practice, I provide a frame. construction comprising two pairs of inner and outer rings, one pair of rings being indicated atv I at the left of Fig. 2 and theA other pair at 'I0' at the right of Fig. 2. 'I'hese two pairs of rings are subl st'antially of the same construction. Thus, the brief description of one pair will apply to both pairs. In Fig; 1 of the drawing,A I have' shown a side view of the pair I0 of rings and', in' said figure,l II shows the inner ring and I2 `the outer ring.

The' ring I I is substantially of Tcross -sectional form, as noted'in section at the lower portion of Fig. 2'; whereas, the ring I2` is in the form of al wide channel with the channel directed inwardly. The rings II are split along the horizontal center, as indicated at I3; note also, in this connection, Figs. 4 and 5 and, at .one-side,"

swinging link I5 is pivoted, as seen at I6, to one part of the ring and` engages a forkedv por,-

, tion I'I on the other part, against which the link is clamped by a nutv I8. 'I'he pivot at I6 constitutes part of a bracket IS which forms a seat for a conical spring 2D; whereas, the 4forked portion II constitutes part of a bracket 2I,to which one ofthe longitudinal springs 22 of the mount is coupled, the other companion spring 23 being secured to a `bracket 24, all as clearly seenl in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

Several ofthe longitudinal springs 22 and 23 are employed and these are arranged .in pairs which are centrally clamped, as seen at 25,130 companion springs 22', 23' of the associated pair of rings I0'. The springs 22, 23 extendfor example, to theouter ring I2 and are coupl'ed with the channel portions thereof, as indicated for ei;- ample at 26 where the spring 22 couples with the outer ring of the ring pair IIJ' and where spring 23 couples with the same outer-ring, yas at 2l. In like manner, it will appear that thespring 22v couplesy with the outer ring of the pair I0, as at26, `and spring 23 couples with the same ring as at -2I. Pairs of the longitudinalsprings extend4 ror are spaced around the entire mount lin the `manner diagrammatically illustrated inliig. l'of the drawing.

. lThe inner rings have coupling bars or rodsv 28 maintaining .the spaced relationship of these rings and 4similar bars or rods 29 join the outer rings. It will also appear from a consideration of Fig. 1 of thedrawing that the inner and outer rings ineach pair are joined together byturnbuckles, as at 30, these turnbuckles having pivotal mounting on the rings so as to facilitate free flexure of the inner and outer rings one"with respect to the other. The inner and outer rings are `joined by six ofthe conicalv springs `2l), some oflgwhich are diagrammatically illustrated and these springs have mounts, similar to the brackets I9, at their inner small ends of the ring II and the outer ends of these springs seat on rplates 3| secured in the channel of the outer ring, one of these vplates and mounts `being clearlyillustrated in Fig.-3 of the drawing. g

It will be apparent that the outer ring is divided ata point above the horizontal center, as at 32, noteFig. 3 and also indicated in Fig. l of the drawing and, at this point of juncture, the separate parts of the outer ring have abutting inwardly extending4 flanges 33 which' arefboltedtole; getheri-tast '.Mpthes boltzzY also r securing f in place an@ LI-Qshaped;bracketplate; 35:1;4 It; 'willffalsoape ..peai..that.the :tuppertsection.4 v.of :the outerfringr--IZ- the latter diifering simply in having the pivot mounting l for the link l5.

Secured to the lower portion of each of the outer rings l2 is a wheel supporting frame 3l, note Fig. 1, this frame being in the form of an elongated strip fashioned to form a straight lower portion 3e and a curved lower portion 39 secured to and forming part of the ring l2. These portions are joined by diverging end plates lill. Wheels or casters di are supportably clamped on the lower part 38, as seen at 52, when the casters are in use and, when not in use, the

same clamps can be utilized to support the casters on the angular extensions di! in the manner indicated in dot and dash lines, this position being assumed by the parts when the mount is packed for shipment, it being understood that a suitable casing or outer frame, not shown, is utilized for this purpose.

`In addition to the resilient supports between the inner and outer rings as provided by the conical springs and the longitudinal springs joining the pairs of rings, l2 provide a dampener or stabilizing mechanism to minimize degree of vibration and to control, through adjustment ci turnbuckles employed, the harmonics of any yieldable support or a missile, engine or the like in the mount, when subjected to vibratory motion while in transit. These controls comprise two rubber strips 43, d3' having plates dll, d; dll', 45' secured to end portions thereof. The

plates 44, lili' have a pivotal link coupling $35, fili' with the outer ring l2 of each pair of rings and coupled with the plates 45, 45' are rods or cables 4l, 41, in which turnbuckles 138, d8 are arranged, the cables extending around pulleys de, 49 mounted on inner surfaces of the outer ring l2 and then to the inner ring, one of which connections is noted at 50 in Fig. 1 of the drawing for the cables 4l'.

These rubber blocks or strips 43, 43 controlled by tightening or mosening the tunbuckies tc, isf' will operate to control the vibratory resilient motion of the missile or other apparatus supported in the mount. It will, of course, be understood that the type of springs employed in the conical springs 2U and the long springs 22, 22'; 23, 243' will govern the load capacity `of the apparatus supported in the mount.

' In the use of the apparatus, it will be understood that the inner rings can be opened by simply swinging the link I5 into opened position and'these rings swung on their pivots i4 soiliciently to assemble a missile or the like in the mount, without disturbing the couplings, as at 34, after which, the inner rings can be tightened around the missile orA other apparatus, after which the turnbuckles 48, 48' can be adjusted to the desired extent to control yielding or resilient properties of the inner ring. It will be apparent that the turnbuckles are employed to place the conical springs under a predetermined load and these turnbuckles are kept in a tightened state to hold the inner and outer ring sections when separated in coupled relationship for storage or shipment in a knockdown state. If foundI 4 a slight extent in the operation of opening the inner ring after the link l5 has been opened to facilitate swinging on the pivot ring lli sumciently to clear the missile. Only slight movement is required to provide the coupling and uncoupling of the missile. The pivotal mountings oi the turnbuckles facilitate the above operation.

In other instances, the separate halves of the two pairs of rings can be separated and the missile or other apparatus seated in the lower portions of the inner rings and then the other portions of both inner and outer rings coupled with their associated halves. It will further be apparent that, by providing the wheel or caster supports for the mount, the apparatus can then be conveniently manipulated over a floor or other surfaces, thus facilitating handling thereof.

It will be understood that the turnbuckles z are desirable to hold the ring halves in predeternecessary, the turnbuckles may be tightened to mined relationship with respect to each other against the preloading of the springs so as to facilitate handling of these halves in the operation of attaching the mount to a missile or other apparatus and in detaching the same therefrom.4

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, the diagrammatic' showing represents a missile which is illustrated as supported in the inner ring, the missie projecting at the left side of the mount. As previously stated, the entire mount is arranged in a shipping case or frame and this frame wouldbe extended to `protect the protruding portion of the missile.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of inner and outer rings, means coupling and spacing the inv ner rings, means coupling and spacing the outer rings, conical springs spaced circumferentially between inner and outer rings of each pair to yieldably support the inner rings within saidv outer rings, pairs of longitudinal springs spaced circumierentially of said pairs of rings, one longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer to the inner ring, the other longitudinal spring in each pair'extending from the outer ring of an opposed pair to the inner ring of thev rst named pair, and adjustable means coupling inner and outer rings of each pair to maintainy the first named conical springs under predetermined load.

2. A mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of inner and outer rings, means coupling and spacing the inner rings, means coupling and spacing the outer rings, conical springs spaced circumferentially between inner and outer rings of each pair to yieldably support the inner rings within said outer rings, pairs of longitudinal springs spaced circumferentially of said pairs of rings, one longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer to the inner ring, the other longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer ring of an opposed pair to the inner ring of the first named pair, adjustable means coupling inner and outer rings of each pair to maintain the first named conical springs under predetermined load, said inner and outer rings being splitto form ring sections, and means detachably' coupling the sections of each ring. 3. A mount for apparatus of the characte described, comprising two pairs o inner andouter rings, means coupling and spacing the inner rings, means coupling `andspacing .the outer,

rings, conical springs spaced circumferentially between inner Vand outer rings of Veachv pair to yieldably support the inner rings within rsaid outer rings, pairs of ylongitudinal springs spaced circumferentially of said pairs of rings, one longitudinal spring in each pairextending lfrom the outer` to the inner ring','the outer longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer ring of an opposed pair to the inner ring of the rst named pair, adjustable means coupling rinner and outer rings of each pair to maintain the rst named conical springsunder predetermined load, saidinner and outer rings being split to form ring sections, means detachably coupling the sections of each ring, the detachable coupling of the inner rings comprising a pivotal coupling'at one of the splits, and a swingable adjustable link coupling the other split portionof the ring. i

4. A mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of inner and outer rings, means coupling and spacing the inner rings, means coupling and spacing the outer rings, conical springs spaced circumferentially between inner and outer rings of each pair to yieldably support the inner rings within said outer rings, pairs of longitudinal springs spaced circumferentially of said pairs of rings, one longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer to the inner ring, the outer longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer ring of an opposed pair to the inner ring of the rst named pair, adjustable means coupling inner and outer rings of each pair to maintain the first named conical springs under predetermined load, said inner and outer rings being split to form ring sections, means detachably coupling the sections of each ring, the detachable coupling of the inner rings comprising a pivotal coupling at one of the splits, a swingable adjustable link coupling the other split portion of the ring, means stabilizing relative movement of said inner and outer rings, and said means bridging the pairs of rings and coupling outer rings of one pair with inner rings of the opposed pair.

5. A mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of inner and outer rings, means coupling and spacing the inner rings, means coupling and spacing the outer rings, conical springs spaced circumferentially between inner and outer rings of each pair to yieldably support the inner rings within said outer rings, pairs of longitudinal springs spaced circumferentially of said pairs of rings, one longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer to the inner ring, the outer longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer ring of an opposed pair to the inner ring of the first named pair, adjustable means coupling inner and outer rings of each pair to maintain the first named conical springs under predetermined load, said inner and outer rings being split to form ring sections, means detachablyvcoupling the sections of each ring, the detachable coupling of the inner rings comprising a pivotal coupling at one of the splits, a swingable adjustable link coupling the other split portion of the ring, means stabilizing relative movement of said inner and outer rings, said means bridging the pairs of rings and coupling outer rings of one pair with inner rings of the opposed pair, and means for adjusting said stabilizing means.

6. A mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of inner land outer 6 rings, means coupling andb spacing thev inner rings, means coupling and spacing the outer rings, conical springs spaced circumferentiallyfbetween inner and'outer rings of each pair to yieldably support the inner rings within said)v outer rings, pairs of longitudinal springs'spaced" circumferentially of said pairs of rings, one 1ongi tudinal spring in each pair extendingfrom the outer to the inner ring, the other'longitudinal spring in each pair ring of an opposed pair to the inner ring of" the rstnamed pair, adjustable means coupling inner and outer rings of each pair to maintainvthe first named-conical springs under predeterminedload,v

and adjustable yieldable means bridging I the pairs of rings andcoupling the outer rings of one pair with the inner'rings of the opposedpail" relative movement between-said fori stabilizing i rings.

7. A mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of inner and outer rings, means coupling and spacing the inner rings, means coupling and spacing the outer rings, conical springs spaced circumferentially between inner and outer rings of each pair to yieldably support the inner rings within said outer rings, pairs of longitudinal springs spaced circumferentially of said pairs of rings, one longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the y outer to the inner ring, the other longitudinal spring in each pair extending from the outer ring of an opposed pair to the inner ring of the rst named pair, adjustable means coupling inner and outer rings of each pair to maintain the first named conical springs under predetermined load, adjustable yieldable means bridging the pairs of rings and coupling the outer rings of one pair with the inner rings of the opposed pair for stabilizing relative movement between said rings. and conveyor wheels detachably mounted in connection with each pair of rings.

8. A yieldable mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of spaced rings, each pair of rings comprising inner and outer ring members with yieldable means disposed between said members, each member being divided into separate sections, means detachably coupling said sections, and yieldable means extending longitudinally of the mount and spaced circumferentially of said pairs of rings for joining the outer rings of one pair with the inner rings of an opposed pair.

9. A yieldable mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of spaced rings, each pair of rings comprising inner and outer ring members with yieldable means disposed between said members, each member being divided into separate sections, means detachably coupling said sections, yieldable means extending longitudinally of the mount and spaced circumferentially of said pairs of rings for joining the outer rings of one pair with the inner rings of an opposed pair, and means coupling the sections of the inner ring members with the sections of the outer ring members in predetermined yieldable load relationship to each other.

l0. A yieldable mount for apparatus of the character described, comprising two pairs of spaced rings, each pair of rings comprising inner and outer ring members with yieldable means disposed between said members, each member being divided into separate sections, means detachably coupling said sections, yieldable means extending longitudinally of the mount and spaced circumferentially of said pairs of rings for join-f extending -from the :outer ing the outer rings of one pair with the inner rings of an opposed pair, means coupling the sections of the inner ring members with the sections of the outer ring members in predetermined yie1dable load relationship to each other, and adjustable means for dampening relative movement of the inner ring members with respect to the outer ring members.

i1. A mount of the character described, comprising inner and outer rings, conical springs positioned between said inner and outer rings, means placing said springs under predetermined load, and yieldable means controlling movement of the inner ring axially with respect to the outer ring.

12. A mount of the character described, comprising two pairs of inner-and outer rings, preloaded conical springs disposed between said rings, the inner rings being split, means for openif* ing and closing said split rings, and yieldable means for supporting the inner rings against movement axially with respect to the outer rings.

` RAYMOND P. APPLEGATE.

References Cited in che fue of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 2,241,822 Marsh May 13, 1941 2,394,853 Goddard Feb. 12, 1946- 2,44S,518 Arnold et a1 Aug. 10, 1948 2,493,788 Turiay Jan. 10, 1950 15 2,494,170 Goldeld et al Jan. 10, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 567,323 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1945 

